Cortese Files Suit Against White Salmon

Former police chief, mayor decline to comment

Rich Cortese, former police chief of the Bingen-White Salmon Police Department, has filed a lawsuit against the city of White Salmon.

"The city was served on Friday," said Mayor Roger Holen.

Cortese was hired as police chief in June 2004 by former Mayor Linda Jones and served for nearly 18 months. In January of this year, Mayor Holen put Cortese on administrative leave, and terminated him effective April 15.

The mayor gave no reason for Cortese's termination.

The lawsuit against the city was filed in Klickitat County Superior Court, with Cortese being represented by Vancouver attorney William J. Eling.

Neither Cortese nor Eling could be reached for comment by press time on Tuesday.